Wrench



- (No Model.)

G. TRAKOPLER. WRENCH No. 523,136. Patented July 17, 1894.

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UNITED STATES.

PATENT FFICE GREGOR 'TRAKOFLER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 523,136, dated July 17,1894:.

Application filed February 10,1894. Serial No. 499,778- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

3e it known that I, GREGOR TRAKOFLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, 1n the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Wrench, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in wrenches. The object of thepresent invention is to lmprove the construction of nut and pipewrenches, and to provide one of great strength and durability, which,when once set, cannot accidentally spread its jaws and release a nut orpipe.

Heretofore wrenches have been constructed with outwardly springing sidesor members adapted to be confined at the desired adj ustment by a link;but, it has been found in practice that in using the wrench theresilient sides are liable to be compressed or sprung inwardsufficiently to disengage the link, thereby requiring the parts to beagain adjusted.

This invention has for its object more particularly to improve theconstruction of that class of wrenches, and to provide means to preventthe compression or inward springing of the sides or members when thewrench is set, and thereby securely lock the confining link in itsadjustment.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wrench constructedin accordance with this invention and designed for turning nuts. Fig. 2is asimilar view of a pipe wrench. Fig. 3 is a perspective View ofanother form of nut wrench.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawlngs.

1 and 2 designate similar outward springing sides or members of awrench; the sides or members are preferably constructed of a singlepiece of resilient metal; and they are connected at their inner ends bya loop or bend 3,which contributes the outward springing of the sides ormembers. The outer extremities of the sides or members are provided withor formed into jaws 4E; and at the inner ends of the latter the outeredges of the sides or members diverge and cause the wrench to taper atthis point, and are provided with recesses or notches 5 adapted to beengaged by a confining link 6 for holding the jaws at the desired adjustment. The link 6 is rectangular, its sides forming a guide for thesides or members of the link, and the inner faces of its ends conform tothe configuration of the notches, and are adapted to be seated in thesame. As the link is moved outward on the tapered, portion of the wrenchthe jaws are drawn inward to lessen'the space between them, and areverse adjustment of the link causes a separation of the jaws.

In order to prevent the inward springing of the sides or members and theconsequent disengagement of the link, when the wrench is in use and isbeing handled with great rapidity as is often the case, a set screw 7 isprovided. This set screw is mounted in a threaded perforation of theside or member 1; it is disposed transversely of the wrench, and itisadapted to project more or less according to the separation of the sidesor members, from the inner edge of the side or member 1 and engage theopposed edge or face of the side or member 2, whereby the parts arelocked against accidental depression. This construction enables a wrenchto be handled as rapidly as desired, and to be grasped as strongly asnecessary without liability of compressing the sides or members andreleasing the link.

The jaws of the wrenchmay be of any desired configuration to suit eithera pipe or nut; and as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanyingdrawings, the link may be adjusted a half notch byadvancing only one endthereof. It will be seen that the wrench is simple and comparativelyinexpensive in construction, that it possesses great strength anddurability, and that when the parts are set the sides or members areabsolutely locked against any accidental compression which might releasethe link and permit the jaws to separate.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificingany of the advantages of this invention.

What I claim is- In a wrench, the combination of the two outwardlyspringing sides constructed of a single piece of metal doubled to formthe spring loop or bend 3, said sides terminating in jaws and providedadjacent to the same with inclined series of notches 5, one of the sidesbeing provided with a threaded opening, a rectangular link arranged onthe sides and having its ends engaging the notches 5 to limit theoutward movement of the jaws, and a set screw arranged in the threadedopening of I 5

